modENCODE Blog

The modENCODE project (modencode.org) is seeking an accomplished and
motivated Drosophila or C.  elegans scientist to act as the scientific
manager for modENCODE integrative analysis.  Applicants should have a
strong scientific and leadership background, with experience both in
large-scale data integration and in the management and coordination of
large scientific groups.

The goal of the modENCODE project (model organism ENCyclopedia of DNA
Elements) is a systematic identification of all functional elements in
fly and worm and their dynamics across development and in multiple
cell lines, through large-scale data generation and integration,
including gene expression, transcription factor binding, chromatin
modifications, histone variants, microRNAs. The project involves
numerous data production centers in both model organisms, each coupled
with an informatics data processing and analysis group.  In addition,
a Data Coordination Center (DCC) is charged with data storage
processing and dissemination, and the newly-funded Data Analysis
Center (DAC) is charged with integrative analysis of the diverse
datasets, forming the Analysis Working Group (AWG) together with
additional biological and informatics members of the various groups.

The scientific manager will co-direct the DAC and AWG and will be
responsible for coordinating all group activities and priorities, both
scientifically and organizationally. This includes: shaping and
executing the vision of the integrative analysis for modENCODE;
planning, coordinating, and contributing to the writing of modENCODE
scientific papers; coordinating analysis activities, milestones, and
deliverables of the various analysis groups; planning and executing
the scientific agenda for both the weekly group scientific phone
conversations of the AWG, and the bi-yearly person-to-person meetings
of the AWG; interaction and coordination with the human ENCODE project
and AWG; interactions with the NIH program managers for the role of
the DAC in review and evaluation of the overall modENCODE project.

Strong background in scientific leadership is required, as well as a
combination of computational and biological background, and
interpersonal and organizational skills.  A Ph.D. in biology or
computational biology is required, with experience in large-scale data
production and/or data integration in the fly, worm, mouse, or human
genomes. Experience in scientific leadership is also required, as a
fellow, senior post-doc, PI, or co-PI. Experience coordinating or
participating in multi-institutional collaborative efforts is also a
big plus, and specifically in the successful writing of
multi-institutional papers.

The position will involve close interactions with the DAC PI (Manolis
Kellis), DAC co-PIs (Mark Gerstein, Peter Park, Shirley Liu, Peter
Bickel, Steve Brenner, Kris Gunsalus), modENCODE PIs (Waterston,
Celniker, White, Snyder, Karpen, Lieb, Henikoff, Lai, Piano,
MacAlpine), the DCC (Stein, Lewis, Micklem), and other members of the
modENCODE consortium production and analysis teams. Position will be
at MIT, in a highly interdisciplinary and highly collaborative
environment at the interface of the MIT Computer Science and
Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Broad Institute of MIT and
Harvard.

To apply, please visit: http://compbio.mit.edu/positions.html